


Rewrite The Stars

by Lady_Lombax



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Diggory is a twat in this, F/M, Female Harry Potter, Gen, I AM A SUCKER FOR A HAPPY ENDING, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I fell in love, I saw Angst With Unhappy ending and made it Happy, Inspired by Fanfic, Next thing I know it's 5000 words long, Oops, Remus Lupin is Hazel's Unofficial Godfather, Sorry Cedric, Soulmarks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 07:38:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13142079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Lombax/pseuds/Lady_Lombax
Summary: Inspired byChapter 40 of Endless WondersbyEye_Greater_Than_ThreeCedric Diggory makes the greatest Mistake of his Life.Magic rewrites Hazel Potter's fate.





	Rewrite The Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eye_Greater_Than_Three](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eye_Greater_Than_Three/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Endless Wonders](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10685394) by [Eye_Greater_Than_Three](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eye_Greater_Than_Three/pseuds/Eye_Greater_Than_Three). 



> My sister wanted to call this 'Baby's First Words.'
> 
> A HUGE MASSIVE THANK YOU TO Eye_Greater_Than_Three for firstly Endless Wonders and secondly for allowing me to play in their sandbox.
> 
> Seriously go check it out!!!!

Hazel Potter stood, stark white and stunned, as the final words fell from Cedric Diggory’s lips, denouncing any possibility of a future together. After all, who would want to be the Heir of Slytherin’s soulmate?  
  
_“So mote be it!”_

As the Unbreakable Vow took effect, there was a flash of gold light before a pain like no other raced up Hazel’s forearm. She let out a brief yelp of pain and clutched at the area, absently noting Cedric doing the same.

Many of his friends clambered around him, voicing their worry and more than a few asked if She had done something to him.

“Hazel! Hazel! Are you ok? What’s wrong?” Ron was white with worry as tears trailed down Hazel’s cheeks.

But as quickly as the pain had come, it left. Hazel remained bent over her arm and breathed deeply.  
  
“Just what is going on here?!” The stern voice of Professor McGonagall echoed over the corridor and the Scottish Deputy Headmistress came striding down in a whirl of emerald tartan.

“Potter did something to Cedric! She ought to be chucked in Azkaban!” A Hufflepuff snarled before cowering at the intense glare from several Gryffindor’s and their Head of House.

“Since Miss Potter is only twelve, _Mr Jones_ , I highly doubt that she has somehow done something to Mr Diggory that warrants expulsion, let alone Azkaban.” Professor McGonagall said coldly. “Now, what happened?”

Fred took a stand, planting himself between Hazel, who was tucked into a hug between his twin and youngest brother and surrounded by the other second-year Gryffindors who were close by, and the rest of the corridor who all seemed to swell with self-righteousness.

“Diggory swore an Unbreakable, denouncing Hazel and any chance of a relationship together.” He said stonily as Professor McGonagall went pale.

The whole school knew that Hazel Potter and Cedric Diggory were soulmates. Secrets were rarely kept at Hogwarts.

She whirled around to face the prefect who was clammy and clutching at his arm. “Show me your Words, Mr Diggory. If you’ve done what I think you have then you will come to regret that vow.”

“But, she’s…”

“Now! Mr Diggory!”

Diggory held out his arm and slowly peeled the sleeve on his left arm back, baring his Soulmark.

What was a formerly solid black almost tattoo-like appearance was now sharp, raised red as if the words had been freshly cut into the skin.

_Th…Thank you. I’m alright though._

Professor McGonagall inhaled sharply, and her mouth went thinner than anyone had ever seen it go. She exhaled slowly then cast a spell under her breath that made the words glow red for a brief instance.

“Well, Mr Diggory. It seems Magic has taken your desire to reject your Soulmate quiet thoroughly.” She said, her voice even colder than it was before. “Your bond has been Severed.”

There was sharp inhale from everyone who heard it. It was extraordinarily rare for a bond to be Severed instead of Broken, especially after two soulmates had found each other.

But for Hazel Potter and Cedric Diggory, it had happened.

“Miss Potter,” McGonagall’s voice was far warmer and gentler as she approached the young lion. “May I?”

Hazel shakily nodded and held out her arm. The elder witch gently rolled the sleeve up and Hazel hiccupped in shock.

_Careful, careful. Just sit down. That was quite the nasty fall you took there._

Those Words had given her so much hope for a future filled with love but had been torn apart by the vow Diggory had taken.

However, those were no longer the words on her arm. Her Soulmark had _changed._

_How’re you doing, Hazel? Nice to finally put a face to the name!_

The new Words seemed to shimmer gold when the light caught it instead of being the usual solid black that most Soulmarks were.

McGonagall let out a low hum and waved her wand over the words causing them to glow a soft blue for a moment. She rolled Hazel’s sleeve back down and patted her hand in an unexpected move of comfort.

“Well, Miss Potter, it seems Magic has deemed you worthy of a Second Chance.”

Hazel snapped her eyes up to her Head, a fragile hope swelling in her chest even as the sentence confused her.

“What?”

Next to her, Hermione’s eyes seemed to have lit up and she sent an uncharacteristic vindictive look towards the Hufflepuff Forth Year that had broken her best friend’s heart.

“Go back to the Common Room and I will be along as soon as I can to fully explain it to you, once I have Professor Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout impress the consequences of what he has done to Mr Diggory.” Professor McGonagall’s eyes softened as she shooed the Gryffindors away before they hardened towards the group behind her, a pale and stunned Cedric Diggory in the middle.

  
Thirty minutes later, Hazel sat in the Second-Year boys’ dormitory with Hermione and Neville sitting either side of her on Neville’s bed, lending what little comfort they could towards the girl. The latter two quietly watched as a surprising trio of Ron, Lavender Brown and Fay Dunbar paced the length of the dorm and verbally plotted Cedric Diggory’s demise or at least expulsion from Hogwarts.

Seamus Finnigan and Parvati Patil were sitting on the former’s bed, calling out ridiculous suggestions and riling them back whenever one appeared to flag. Dean Thomas was sitting awkwardly in front of Hazel and drawing Diggory dangling from the top of the Gryffindor Tower in his underpants on a poster.

There also seemed to be a dull roar coming from the Common Room where Fred and George were last seen holding court over what appeared to be the whole of Gryffindor House even though it was still mid-afternoon, and classes were still going.

It was just as Lavender loudly declared that she would turn Cedric into a carrot and feed him to her rabbits back home that Professor McGonagall walked in.

“While I would commend such transfiguration skill, Miss Brown, I doubt your rabbits would like the taste.” She said dryly.

The three plotters all jumped, and Hazel smiled weakly, having not looked up from the new Soulmark on her forearm in the last half hour.

McGonagall’s eye trailed over the inhabitants then gestured to the door. “Miss Potter, why don’t we have this talk in private? You can then decide who you want privy to the information later.”

Hazel nodded quietly then trotted after Professor McGonagall into a small study with a fireplace she had never noticed before by the Common Room (where the Professor had seemingly turned a blind eye to the students who should have been in class). Professor McGonagall nodded towards one cushy armchair and sat in the one opposite. The only other thing in the room was a small round table in the middle that had a piping hot teapot and a tin of biscuits on it.

The smaller witch glanced nervously at the other who was pouring a cup of tea.

“Tea, Potter? You’ve had a very trying day.”

“Yes, please Professor,” Hazel said quietly as she took the offered teacup. The two sipped their tea for a few moments before Professor McGonagall spoke again.

“I hope that you understand that what Mr Diggory did was wrong. Even if you were the Heir of Slytherin, he should never have taken that oath.”

Hazel almost spilt her tea. “You mean, you believe I’m not the Heir?”

Professor McGonagall snorted uncharacteristically. “Miss Potter… _Hazel_ , even if you were the Heir, you would never do what has happened. You are far too kind and most certainly not someone who would have allowed two of your classmates, a ghost and a cat to be petrified.” Her glasses glinted over the teacup.

Hazel blinked back tears and stared down at her tea. “Thank you.”

Professor McGonagall smiled and put her teacup on the table. “Now, what do you know of Second Chance Soulmarks?”

Hazel shook her head slowly. “I’ve never heard of it, Professor.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me. It is a very rare event. Even rarer than Severing.” McGonagall spoke gently.

“Second Chance Soulmarks appear when a magical person who has been unjustly denied their Soulmate whether by illness, death or by the actions of other people. His intention to have no relationship with you effected the vow and Magic decided to Sever the Bond.” McGonagall’s eyes softened as Hazel let out a sniff. “I am not telling you this to cause you harm, Hazel. Magic severed the bond and punished him in the same instance.”

Hazel’s bright green eyes widened in shock as she stared at her Professor. “What you mean, Professor?”

McGonagall’s eyes brightened with something that Hazel couldn’t identify. “It means that Mr Diggory will suffer the effects of a Severed Bond for the rest of his life.” She held up a hand to stop Hazel from speaking. “That is all you need to know, Miss Potter. As far as you are concerned, Mr Diggory is no longer your Soulmate. Instead, you have a new Soulmate.”

Hazel frowned at her professor, putting her cup down on the table before she dropped it everywhere. “I thought Soulmates were permanent?”

“They are to a certain degree. There is a common misconception that Soulmates mean that you are two halves of the same soul. This is incorrect. No one’s soul is half of another’s. A Soulmate is merely the person who you have the greatest potential with that you will meet in your lifetime. They will be the one who understands you the most, will stand by your side through adversity and peace, and will put you above all others. A Soulmark is merely the indication of who that greatest potential is with.” She nodded towards Hazel’s arm. “As such, Magic has bonded you with another who you have a great potential with. Whether that potential is romantic or platonic is entirely between you and your Soulmate. The fact your Word shimmer gold shows that Magic has taken great care in selecting your new Bond. It shows that your Soulmate will not make the mistake of your former and will be just as good a fit for you as Mr Diggory was, if not better. You have been given a special gift, Miss Potter.”

Hazel glanced down at her lap where her hands were twisting together. She didn’t want to be special. She just wanted someone who would love her for who she was.

“I must warn you, Miss Potter.”

Hazel’s eyes snapped up and bore into McGonagall’s own.

“Unlike a normal Soulmark, you will feel a tug leading you towards your Soulmate when you come of age unless you meet them beforehand. It will not force you towards them but it will encourage you to meet them. Therefore, you are guaranteed to meet them. From what I know, the mark will also change slightly when your Words have been spoken to let you know you have met your soulmate. How it changes depends on the person.”

Hazel slipped a hand up her sleeve and rubbed a thumb absently over the new words as she took in McGonagall’s explanation.

Strangely, she could have sworn she felt a warm pulse of reassurance come from them as if someone had taken her hand and squeezed it affectionately.

* * *

 

  
The year passed and, unknown to Hazel, what McGonagall said about Diggory coming to regret his actions was true. When it came out that Hermione had been attacked, Cedric Diggory had gone very pale and threw up for most of the night.

Everyone knew that Hazel regarded Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley like a second family and that all of Gryffindor had curled around the second-year girl as soon as it had come out exactly what the badger had done to her, causing tensions between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff to soar to near Gryffindor/Slytherin heights of rivalry.

When it was announced that Hazel had gone down to the Chamber to rescue the youngest Weasley along with Ron, all of Hufflepuff had stared at Cedric Diggory as he stumbled out of the Common Room and up to his dorm where a few of his friends tried to console him.

It was that night the Yearning began.

Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey had told him that thanks to the Vow and the Severing, Cedric would always crave Hazel Potter but would never be able to build any type of close relationship with her. Even an acquaintanceship would be pushing the limits of the vow. That no matter what other romantic or platonic relationships he would have in the future, he would always compare them to what he could have had with the young girl.

He had a Half-Bond.

* * *

 

  
Hazel Potter’s third year came and went with new discoveries and the revelation of her Godfathers.

Remus Lupin, the newest Defence Against the Dark Arts, was revealed to be not only a werewolf and one of her father’s closest friends but her Unofficial Godfather (though a certain unnamed dog Animagus who was currently on the run was adamant that he was actually her Godmother) as well.

Sirius Black, supposed mass murderer, was revealed to be innocent and her Official Godfather. Although Pettigrew had gotten away in the chaos and Sirius had to flee the country, he promised to do his best by Hazel and be the Godfather he should have been for her.

Both Remus and Sirius wrote to Hazel often and Hazel was able to sneak out to meet Remus more often than not the Summer after third year, though it took her three visits and a mock scolding to stop calling him Professor Lupin.

The weekend before the Weasleys were to come pick her up for the World Cup, Hazel had managed to get the Dursleys to agree to let her go stay with Remus for the Friday and the weekend before heading straight to the Burrow. They wouldn’t have to put up with her until she came back the next summer which sold the idea to Vernon and Petunia.

It was that weekend that Remus found out about Diggory.

“Hazel, I hope you don’t mind my asking but do you know why Gryffindor was so antagonistic towards Hufflepuff? As far as I can remember, the two houses always got along well.” Remus questioned on Friday night as the two stood side by side to do the washing up. He had been lucky to inherit an aunt’s house on the very edge of a small muggle village with a basement for full moons.

Hazel nearly dropped a fork and started fiddling with the edge of her tea towel.

“Hazel?” Remus’ eyebrows furrowed, and he looked at her with wide eyes. His tone was soft and worried.

Hazel chewed on her lip slightly then spoke quietly. “What do you know about my second year?”

Remus drained the sink and led Hazel into the small living room, understanding that this conversation would probably be difficult for the teenager. He sat on the old sofa and watched as Hazel plunked into the seat, pulling her knees up to her chest.

“Not much. Only that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and some students had been attacked. None of the teachers would tell me anything more although Professor McGonagall always looked very angry whenever I tried to ask so I left it. I didn’t want to ask any of the students either.”

“I’m a parselmouth.” Hazel tensed as she waited for Remus to respond.

Amber eyes went wide with shock and he hummed. “Odd. Neither of your parents could do that and it’s typically passed down through the family.”

Watery vivid green met gentle amber and Hazel managed to speak in a very small voice. “You don’t care?” She made an aborted movement towards the older male.

“Of course not, Hazel. It’s how we use our abilities, not what abilities we have that make us who we are.” Remus stretched an arm around Hazel’s shoulders and tugged her gently into a hug. They remained silent for a few moments before Hazel spoke.

“There was a duelling club and Snape paired me with Malfoy to do a demonstration. Malfoy set a snake on me. I didn’t know I could speak Parseltongue! It sounds like English to me! Everyone found out and they all thought I was the Heir of Slytherin.” Hazel started sniffing and she pressed her face into Remus’ shoulder, taking in the feeling of comfort and safety.

“Sounds like a load of bogus to me. You would never have attacked anyone. Why didn’t the teachers do anything?” Remus rubbed a hand down her back.

“I don’t know but you know Cedric Diggory?” The name came out with no small amount of bitterness that caused Remus to frown and a feeling like a cement block had just been dropped in his stomach occurred.

“Yes? Hufflepuff, isn’t he?” The words came out slowly.

“He was my Soulmate.” Hazel nearly choked on the words before she let out a small squeak as the arms around her tightened suddenly and a rough growl rippled out of Remus’ chest.

“What did he do?”

Hazel blinked up at furious amber eyes that flickered with something animalistic underneath.

“He took an Unbreakable Vow to never have any kind of future with me.” Even over a year later, the pain of admitting that her first Soulmate didn’t want her was almost too much. She buried her face back into Remus’s jumper as she started to cry.

Remus was torn. He wanted to go find the bastard that made his goddaughter cry and do something he might regret. The other part of him reminded him he had a duty to Hazel and that he’d already missed 12 years of her life (granted most of that reasoning had to do with the Ministry and Dumbledore along with his own low self-esteem).

He curled around Hazel and muttered words of love and support into her hair as she slowly cried herself out.

Hazel let out a few last sniffs and took the handkerchief that Remus offered. She wiped away the remaining tears and blew her nose.

Remus brushed a few stray hairs from her face. Opening his mouth to speak, he was interrupted by Hazel continuing her story.

“After he took the Vow, my Words changed. Apparently, Magic judged the Vow to be unfair to me, so I got a Second Chance and my bond to Diggory was Severed. It was all over the school by the end of the day. Fred and George told Gryffindor House that anyone who gave me any more crap would answer to them. There were a few people in Gryffindor who thought I was the Heir, but they also thought I would never hurt anyone. So, Gryffindor kinda pulled together and started protecting me. Even the first years would try to look out for me.

Everyone else still thought I was the Heir and it wasn’t until Hermione got attacked that it changed. I don’t think anyone in Gryffindor has forgiven Hufflepuff for protecting Diggory when it was obvious that I was the one who had been wronged.”

Remus was stunned. He’d briefly heard of Second Chances, but he’d never thought it would happen to someone he knew. He pulled Hazel back into a hug.

“I’m sorry that happened to you, Hazel. While I’m happy that your house supported you, the rest of the school should never have turned on you like that. Especially him.” He growled out the last word and ran a ran over her hair.

Hazel fidgeted for a moment then made her decision. She tugged up the long sleeve of her shirt and tilted her arm towards the light, showing off the shimmer of gold.

“Professor McGonagall said the gold means my new Soulmate won’t abandon me. That they might be an even better fit for me.”

Remus gently took hold of her arm and read the words there. He smiled at the shimmer and nuzzled the top of her head.

“Whoever your Soulmate is, is a very lucky person and had better know what a brilliant young woman you are.”

Hazel smiled softly and buried her face back into Remus’ shoulder, seeking out the comfort he gave.

* * *

 

  
Hazel was laughing as she fell through the floo and onto the floor of The Burrow. Fred and George followed in short order.

“I CAN’T _BE-LIEVE_ YOU DIDN’T TELL US!!” Fred gasped out.

Hazel could only do what little she could as she gasped for air through her giggles.

“All this time, we never knew we’d been taught by _a Marauder!_ ” George had stars in his eyes and Hazel lost it again as Ron helped her to her feet.

“WE ARE NOT WORTHY!” Fred and George were once again on their knees, prostrating themselves towards the young girl.

The look on Remus’ face had been hysterical when Hazel had slipped up and called him Moony, only to be almost pounced on by the twins when Hazel explained who he was.

They’d spent at least ten minutes pledging themselves to be his loyal minions in mayhem followed by five minutes of praising his greatness. Hazel had never known a man could go that shade of Weasley Red without being a Weasley before.

Of course, Remus had had his revenge by telling his ‘new minions’ that Hazel was the Daughter of Prongs and Heiress to the Marauders to which Hazel made a quick getaway after Ron through the floo. She’d had the last laugh since she told the twins to ask Remus for Padfoot’s contact details as she left.

Mrs Weasley bustled across the kitchen, promptly decided to ignore whatever had gotten into the Twins with the air of someone who had made the same choice many times before, and gathered Hazel into a tight hug.

“Hello dear. How are you?” Said Mrs Weasley as she pulled back from the hug and ran a critical eye over Hazel’s form.

“I’m doing fine, Mrs Weasley.” Beamed Hazel. It was nice to be back in the first place she’d ever been completely accepted.

“Why don’t you go put your things in the spare room by Ron’s? We’re eating outside this evening since my eldest, Bill and Charlie – I’m sure Ron’s mentioned them – are home for the Cup.” Mrs Weasley patted her cheek as Hazel grabbed one end of her trunk.

Only to be hustled out of the way by Fred. “No need for that, Miss Prongslet. Allow us!” With a cheeky bow, the twins swept up the stairs carrying Hazel’s trunk between them.

Mrs Weasley huffed at their backs as Mr Weasley appeared in the kitchen.

“Ah, Hazel. I see you got through ok. Where’s your trunk?” Said Mr Weasley, frowning at the lack of the aforementioned object.

“Fred and George offered to take it upstairs for me,” Hazel said with a wry smile. Mr Weasley let out a snort.

Someone suddenly cleared their throat behind Hazel and she turned around to see two red-haired men she’d never met.

One was about the same build as the twins, shorter than his brothers (but still nearly 6ft thereby towering over Hazel’s small 5ft 1”) and stocky. He had firm muscles with a large shiny burn running up his bicep and disappearing under the sleeve of his t-shirt. His hair was styled shorter than the others and he had stubble across his lower face. This must’ve been Charlie Weasley, the dragon keeper.

The other was taller than Charlie. He had the same blue eyes as Percy and Ron with long red hair pulled back into a low ponytail. There was an almost quiet strength to him. What startled Hazel the most was the fang earring and clothes that wouldn’t have out of place in a muggle rock concert. She’d half been expecting another Percy, not someone cool. This had to be Bill who was a curse breaker for Gringotts.

“Hello, you must be Hazel.” Said Bill charmingly as he shook Hazel’s hand. She grinned back easily before turning to Charlie.

“How’re you doing, Hazel? Nice to finally put a face to the name!” Charlie shook her hand firmly.

“I’m doin’ fine, thanks! How’s Nor…bert?” She trailed off as they both froze suddenly as a warm feeling rushed over Hazel’s mark.

He’d said her words.

Charlie Weasley had _said her words._

_Charlie Weasley was her new soulmate._

She wasn’t ready.

Not now.

Not for this.

“Hazel? Charlie? What is it? What’s wrong?” Bill’s voice seemed so far away but it jolted Hazel.

“I…I…” She tore her grip out of Charlie’s and sprinted up the stairs.

“Hazel!” Ron called after her, worried. “You stay here!” He pointed to Charlie who was still gobsmacked and raced after his friend.

Hazel barged past Ginny and Hermione, barely acknowledging their presence. She almost crashed into the twins as they ambled back down the stairs and called after her anxiously.

She did crash into Percy who wiped the annoyed look off his face as he stepped out of his room to yell at whoever was making such a racket and clutched Hazel’s biceps to keep her steady.

“Hazel?” He blinked down at the shorter girl. She felt like she could barely breathe. All that was running through her head was the fact Charlie Weasley was her soulmate, but she wasn’t ready.

“Right. Come on. That’s it. Have a seat.” In a tone she barely recognised as concern, Percy hustled Hazel into his room, shut the door and sat her on his bed. “Deep breaths, Hazel.”

  
Hazel did as she was told and took a deep shuddering breath. This was far scarier than anything she’d ever faced before. First Year? Easy. Second year? Piece of cake. Third year? Practically a walk in the park. This? She had no idea how to face this. She couldn’t just fight this and it would be over in an hour.

She burst into shuddering weak tears and barely met Percy’s worried blue eyes. “Charlie… your brother … he… he…” A deep tremor wrack through her body as she took a breath. “He said my words.”

To his credit, Percy only paused for a second before rubbing an awkward hand up and down her back. He had heard of what had happened, had even given harsher point loss and detentions to Diggory and his Hufflepuff year group.

There was a rap on the door and Hazel froze.

Percy got up and poked his head out. “What?” he said sharply.

“Is Hazel in there?!” Ron snapped out. The twins, Hermione and Ginny were with him and the recent Hogwarts graduate could hear someone else coming up, most likely one of his parents. He made a snap decision.

“Ron, Hermione. In. You three, make sure no one else disturbs us.” Percy ordered and let the former two slip into the room.

“But what the hell is going on?!” Demanded George. They could hear Hazel almost hyperventilating in Percy’s room while Ron and Hermione murmured softly.

Percy tugged a hand through his hair in an uncharacteristic motion. They’d know in a few minutes anyway. “Charlie said her new words.” He murmured gently.

The other three went still with shock. Fred and George then glanced at each other, their faces going harder than Percy would have ever thought they could if he hadn’t seen the exact same expression when Diggory had cut ties.

Fred and George nodded. “Leave him to us. We’ll make sure he doesn’t come up.” They disappeared down the stairs, Mrs Weasley’s voice floating up as they hustled her back to the ground floor.

Ginny had an almost blank look on her face, tinged with guilt. It was an unspoken fact that Ginny had blamed herself for how Diggory had reacted. If only she hadn’t written in that horrible book.

“Ginny.” Percy’s firm voice shook her out of her thoughts. “Go downstairs and keep Mum and Dad away. They already know what happened with him. Just keep them down until Hazel’s ready.”

Ginny stood straighter and nodded sharply. She followed the twins down the stairs.

Percy sighed and closed the door. He wouldn’t be finishing that report for Mr Crouch tonight. Family was more important.

* * *

 

  
Hazel fidgeted a few times before glancing out of the corner of her eye. Charlie was seated on the low wall next to her, looking as awkward as she felt.

She’d been mortified when she’d finally managed to wrap her head around the fact Charlie was her new soulmate. Running from him like that must’ve hurt. Fortunately, someone (probably one of the twins) had explained the bare minimum to both Charlie and Bill about how she’d had a former soulmate and been rejected.

“Norberta.”

Hazel startled and blinked up at Charlie who was smiling softly at her. “Huh?”

“Norbert is actually a girl, so we renamed her Norberta. She’s doing fine by the way.” Charlie leaned down and balanced his elbows on his knees.

They watched as the light from the sunset played on the water of the pond and the frogs making their way in and out.

“I’m sorry. For running. I don’t usually run from things that scare me.” Hazel said softly.

Charlie twisted his head towards her, giving her space but still providing a sense of reassurance.

“This scares you?”

Hazel let out a snort of laughter. “Terrifies me. I wasn’t expecting it to happen so soon.”

Charlie let out a brief chuckle as well. “Me too. I was born without words. I never expected to get them after so long. So when they popped up two years ago, I was shocked. I ended up showing the healer on-site ‘cause it happened in the middle of us checking the wards and the others thought something was wrong. He was the one who told me that the shimmer meant it was a Second Chance.” He held out a hand slowly, palm skyward. “’ll be honest. I have no idea how this is going to develop between us. I love my dragons and I’m still under contract in Romania and you’re still in school, but I’m willing to give this a try.”

Hazel eyed him seriously. Maybe it was the bond but… “I’m a parselmouth. My life is a media circus and everyone seems to turn on me at the drop of a hat. That’s what you would be getting yourself into.”

Charlie froze for a beat then shrugged, trying to keep what looked like an excited smile off his face. “Well, first off that’s way cooler than Romanian. And secondly, I think I can handle a few idiots who think they have the right to know everything about you.” He wiggled his fingers. “So, you in?”

His own words shimmered in the dying sunlight on his forearm with a beautiful sword through them, not piercing but almost protecting. The sword was clean silver with a gold hilt shaped like a dragon.

_I’m doin’ fine, thanks! How’s Norbert?_

Her own words had changed slightly too. The mark now had a black Norwegian Ridgeback with burning gold eyes curled above them, poised in relaxation but ready to strike at any threat.

A symbol that both of them would defend the other at all costs.

Blinking back tears and smiling, Hazel slipped her smaller hand into his. “Yeah, I’m in.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just a few explanations for some terminology and a few Headcanons I got while writing this.
> 
> Terminology:  
> Severing/Severed = An Unnatural break between Soulmates (i.e. Dark Magic). Has consequences.  
> Breaking/Broken = A Natural break (i.e Death). Leaves a hollow feeling but no other consequences.  
> Half-Bond = Where one person is Bonded to another but the bond is not mutual.  
> Second Chance = Only a magical can gain a Second Chance i.e. a new soulmate when Magic deems them worthy.
> 
> World Building:  
> Percy - I believe after Gryffindor pulls together to support Hazel (Severing a Bond is one of the greatest Crimes in the Wizarding World. Diggory was deemed suitably punished by Magic.) after her Severance, Percy pulls his out of his arse to help as well.
> 
> Soulmates - Little over 60% of Soulmates are Romantic. Some people are born blank due to Soulmate yet to be born or died before birth. Charlie was a Blank (Former Soulmate died before his birth).
> 
> Also, I've never been a fan of the whole 'This person is the-other-half-of-you.' soulmate trope. No one is half of anyone. Rather I believe Soulmates are the greatest potential between two people, whether platonic or romantic. It's someone your soul sits up and goes 'Oh, there you are. I've been waiting for you.' It's that feeling of unconditional love, acceptance and trust. (Which is why Imprinting from a certain Sparkly Vampire series that shall not be named annoys me so much. That is not romantic. That is borderline Stalking and Lima/Stockholm Syndrome. but enough about that.)
> 
> In defence of Hazel freaking out, she'd just had to explain her situation to Remus and was still affected by the fact her First Soulmate would rather Sever their bond than stand by her. Girl's got some major self-esteem, self-confidence and Dursley issues. 
> 
> I really hope you guys enjoyed this and seriously, go check out Endless Wonders.


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